EVALUACIÓN DE LA MEMORIA SEMÁNTICA: ESTUDIO TRANSVERSAL EN PERSONAS SANAS Y EN PACIENTES CON ENFERMEDAD DE ALZHEIMER.

The present paper evaluates the evolution and deterioration of semantic memory in a healthy population and in people with Alzheimer's disease. Using a categorical semantic fluency test, we evaluated the frequency of production of copies of four basic semantic categories belonging to the domains Living Things (LT) and Non-Living things (NLT). The sample consisted of 80 subjects classified in four groups: children, young adults, healthy elderly persons and elderly people with Alzheimer's disease. The results showed a greater production by young adults in the domains LT and NLT, followed by children and the elderly healthy and, finally, the elderly Alzheimer's disease patients. Regarding gender, females showed a better performance but only in the sample of healthy people. Furthermore, the number of errors was considered: the group with a higher number of errors was the children's, mainly due to the inclusion of non pertinent elements (overgeneralization). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]